Urgent call to reallocate $10 billion spent on "bogus refugees" to support local communities

Over HK$10 billion has been spent on “bogus refugees” over the past decade, prompting lawmakers to advocate for the reallocation of public funds to grassroots communities truly in need.

Government figures reveal that since 2014, spending on non-refoulement claimants in Hong Kong over 10 fiscal years has equaled the cost of building 10,000 public housing units. 

Humanitarian aid constitutes the largest portion of this expenditure, totaling HK$5.36 billion, while medical expenses have reached HK$600 million.

According to data provided by the Security Bureau to Sing Tao Daily, a sister publication of The Standard, the SAR government has received 27,754 non-refoulement claim applications since 2014, with only about 350 being established, accounting for roughly 1 percent of the total.

Despite this, the government has spent up to HK$3 billion on reviewing claims and handling related appeals over the past decade.

After being denied non-refoulement protection, claimants often file for judicial review to delay deportation. 
Over the last 10 years, 26,535 have appealed, and 17,771 sought judicial reviews, costing the government HK$1.24 billion in legal aid. 

Once legal processes are complete and claims are rejected, “bogus refugees” are deported, with deportation costs reaching HK$246 million from 2014 to 2024.

The latest public housing construction costs from the Housing Authority are about HK$970,000 per unit, indicating that funds spent on claimants could theoretically have built over 10,000 public housing units.

Redirecting these funds to elderly services could provide placements for about 9,803 seniors in private nursing homes for five years through the Enhanced Bought Place Scheme.

Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan said the need to expedite the handling of judicial reviews and appeals to quickly deport individuals whose claims are not established. 

“We really shouldn’t be wasting this money and should reserve public funds to support grassroots communities,” she said.

Lawmaker Priscilla Leung Mei-fun highlighted that Hong Kong is currently facing a deficit of hundreds of billions and believes that the treatment of non-refoulement claimants is too generous. 

She said that in addition to receiving benefits, “bogus refugees” can freely move around communities, raising concerns about public safety and facilitating opportunities for illegal work. 

Leung suggested establishing closed detention facilities to deter criminals seeking to exploit the SAR.

According to the International Social Service Hong Kong Branch, each eligible adult claimant can receive a housing allowance of HK$1,500, while minors receive HK$750, along with monthly allowances of HK$300 for miscellaneous expenses and HK$1,200 for food. 

Over the past decade, there have been 178,000 instances of claimants utilizing the Hospital Authority’s medical services, with fee waivers totaling HK$623 million.

(Cheng Wong)